Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-06
THE COUNTY AUDITOR.
He is Absolved by the Su-
pervisOrs.
BUT MR.. MACKENZIE OBJECTS
And Promises to Come Back at
Mr.. Montana in . Few
Days.

Mr.. Montana in . Few
Days.
The following petition by A. A.
Montafio, County Auditor, was read
before the Board of Supervisors yes
terday:
To the Honorable Board of Super
visors of the County of Los angeles
GENTLEMEN: A few weeks ago, atten-
ton was called to your honorable
body and to the people of this county
to q report compiled by one Macken-
xie, expert of the late Grand Jury, re-
garding the condition and manage
ment Of the affairs of my office. You
doubtless remember that said report
was extremely damaging to me and to
those under me. Being absent from
this city for quite awhile, and only
having arrived few days ago, this is
the first opportunity that l have had
to answer said charge.
Desiring to clear myself from the
Infamous, unjust and false charges
that said Mackenzie brought against
me, 1 then requested your honorable
body to do justice to myself and to
those connected with my office, and
to employ an expert accountant OF
your own choice to examine the books
and accounts Of my Office and report to
you. You granted my request,
for which I am very thankful to you,
and appointed VIM. R. Blackman, ex-
pert accountant, one of the most re-
liable and accurate gentlemen in his
line, known as such by great major
ity of the business men Of this city,
county and State.
earnestly beg the pardon of your
honorable body for intruding upon your
time with this long communication
but you being aware of that damaging
report, am sure that you will spare
me few moments of your time for my
defense.
Through the kindness of Mr.. Duns-
moor, County Clerk, who has permit
ted me to examine the report OF MIR.
Blackman on file in his office, have
hereby quoted from him in answer to
Mackenzie.
In the first charge Mackenzie has
said as follows: 81 would beg leave
to report as to the County
Auditor. He is the keynote
to all county officers, but
that note is out of tune. Two years
ago his books were in good shape,
to-day they are in miserable condi-
ton; erasures of all kinds, moneys
transferred from one fund to another
which are wrong and subsequently
have been recti6ed."
Mr.. Blackman has, 1 believe, ex.
amined this thoroughly and reports to
you as follows: 81 find everything in
these books to be correctly entered
and accounted for. There are nc
transfers made without correspond.
ing authority
Then, again, Mackenzie in treating
OF the road funds, says as fol
lows: His road fund books are no
correct individually, in the aggregate
they are, but yet such state o.
affairs should not exist"
Mr.. Blackman has examined thes,
funds in thorough manner and report
to you as follows: "The road fund ac
counts as kept in the Auditors book
are individually as well as in the ag
:gregate correct"
There are three county officers wht
collect fees payable into the count,
treasury monthly, viz, the County
Clerk, Recorder and Sheriff; Macken
xie in reporting on these officers says
that he has examined the fee books
etc., of those officers and he finds then
virtually correct and everything &C
counted for; but mark the inconsist
ency in treating of my Gas he sup
posed) examination of the fee books o
said officers, he uses the followin,
language "He states that he has full,
posted up the various amounts col
lected by the different officials of thi
county as his signature shows, but
know better, as the various clerica
errors will show"
l ask you, gentlemen, how coul(
this man say that that was virtually
correct in reporting on those thret
officers, and in reporting on my offic'
for the same identical thing, min(
you, report as he did and tell the
truth? If he found any mistake o.
clerical error, why did he not stat,
plainly what it was and where anc
how it happened, so that it could b.
rectified without any unnecessary com
ments, as was clearly his duty to dt
and nothing more; there is difference
of, just think OF it, 81 between the
clerks books and his settlement witt
the treasury. My wonder is that he
did not recommend an indictment fol
that; but he does not say where anG
what is the error, so that it could be
rectified; furthermore, 1 deny that t.
be my mistake, but the County
Clerks; it is not my duty to go owe
the books of the Clerk, Sheriff an(
Recorder monthly, it is their duty t,
file an affidavit with the Treasure
monthly, stating the amount of thei
collections for the previous month an(
settle with the Auditors Office accord
ingly; it is also their duty to file thei
fee book with the Auditor at the en(
of their term, viz: every two years.
never claimed to said Mackenzie tina
1 add these officers books monthly;
merely compare the totals of thei
books with their affidavit under oath
SO that no fragrant error can occur
and when the time comes then shal
go over them as thoroughly as l ma,
be able to, not being professional ex
pert like said Mackenzie.
Mr.. Blackman has carefully gon,
over this work and that part of his re
port being lengthy, l refer you to it.
Mr.. Montafio then copies at length
several extracts from the Politica
Code, which prescribes the duties o
Tax Collector.
He then points out that accordin,
to law the final settlement of the Tai
Collector for original taxes should b.
made ON the third Monday in Januar,
and the final settlement for delinquen
taxes on the third Monday in March
and said that this was not done owinl